SATAN MADE ME DO IT is a monthly metal show on Rádio Quântica (www.radioquantica.com) conjured in the fiery chasms of hell for a single purpose: to inflict as much pain and pleasure as sonically possible.

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Episode 36 – Lay Down Your Arms

It’s funny, you know? There are plenty of non-metal people who admit listening to metal music. Now that’s just fine; such barriers have long been broken. We have written about this before. What’s interesting is not that these people listen to metal; it’s the metal they usually listen to. If you know a thing or two about music you’ll be very quick in confessing your love for the likes of Slayer, Napalm Death or Burzum. These three bands have some things in common: they all inspired genres other than metal and are generally archived under the “extreme metal” category.

Now ask those same people if they enjoy NWOBHM, Speed, Power, Glam – in general, the more traditional and “domesticated” metal genres – and see what happens (Maiden and Priest don’t count!). Even among head bangers it’s not infrequent to find people who have no love for these sounds.

If this episode doesn’t make you change your mind then you’ll continue leading a sad, sad existence. And we’ll show you no compassion. Good music has no boundaries.

NO DAWN IN LUCIFER’S LIGHT!

Click for show notes and a complete tracklist.

Episode 36 – Lay Down Your Arms

Enforcer are already as big as a speed metal band can get nowadays. It’s been ten years since they release the first demo, and although “Diamonds” was for us the high point of their career so far, the 2015 LP “From Beyond” has plenty of virtues. Olof’s vocals always work for us because he sounds so happy all the time, but this time we went the sole instrumental track “Hungry They Will Come”. Classic old-school Maiden worship.

We were lucky enough to follow Lord Fist’s career since the very beginning. Sometimes the stars align and you get really lucky with your Google searches and random clicking haha The “Spark for the Night” demo was one of 2012’s best releases for one of us. Even today there comes a time when “Super Sailor” has to be heard one more time. Their first full length released this year also brims with quality and “Master of the Witches” is a very clear highlight. Finland has produced great heavy metal bands as of late.

Even before you listen to Natur you know they’re good. They have a cool name and logo, fantastic song titles and showed great taste when choosing a cover for their (still) sole 2012 album “Head of Death”. Just by looking at it you expect to hear black metal; not traditional heavy metal (though we assume the cover was inspired by Witchfinder General). Anyway, here’s a band that summons old metal and masterfully combines it with some doom and epic metal elements via the likes of Manilla Road and Mercyful Fate. We went with the 8+ minute long title track, so sit back and enjoy the trip.

One of us has been crying real tears to the sound of Convent Guilt’s “No Dawn in Lucifer’s Light”. Classic heavy metal or NWOBHM are usually to “corny” and “sweaty” for most ears, which, again, is bullshit. This track right here will show up on mixtapes, compilations and all-time favorite lists for many years to come, 100% guarantied. This leaves emotional bruises; such is the beating it delivers. Fucking perfect. Make sure to hunt for the lyrics, cause they are also magnificent.

Here’s another 2015 song. We decided to speed things up a bit to the sound of Nightmare City’s metal punk. It’s always a pleasure to hear bands that are successful in combining both genres. While there are many things that separate the two, there are also fundamental common characteristics. More metal people should listen to punk and bands like Nightmare City can help you deal with the shock.

We know we’re called SATAN MADE ME DO IT and all, but we’re actually pretty nice guys. So we’re throwing a bone to the other team. 1983’s “Diod” is one of our favorite Christian-themed singles of all time. To our knowledge, Reflex from Sweden released this independently and simply vanished, mutating into Limit and later joining forces with Romance to become Killer Bee. Both tracks from the single are actually on YouTube and you got to love the description there: “Jesus älskar dig och vill komma in i ditt hjärta”, or “Jesus loves you and wants to come into your heart”. UGH! Very melodic track this one. Actually reminded us of some Black Magic guitar work haha MOVING ON!

Another day, another instrumental. This is of course Hell, the cult heavy metal band from the UK. Their 1982 demo is of legendary reputation. Non-traditional song structures completely occult sound and just generally out there. The “Save Us from Those Who Would Save Us” single from 1983 is not as “weird” as their previous material, but it’s still 100% bulletproof sinister fucking heavy metal. You are listening to “Death Squad”, one of metal’s very best instrumentals in our humble opinion.

We are going to risk pushing it even further. Hope you don’t mind a little hard rock / heavy metal / glam hybrid. Accessibility in metal music (maybe in any genre) is usually not a great thing, sometimes though it’s just what you need the most. Hard one to explain. It all comes down to a matter of artist sensibilities, common sense and REAL EMOTION. Take these two last acts: Swedish bands Madison and Regent (Regent came first, in 83, transforming the same year into Madison, with a slightly different line-up). These bands have hooks; they are “easy” to listen to. But can you deny their honesty and sheer power? You cannot. Only music is real!